2012 Earth Hour City Challenge : The quest for the most sustainable city. Photo Credit: WWF ICLEI Member Malmo received top city honors last year. Photo credit: WWF/Germund Sellgren Cities will report their plans and achievements to the carbonn Cities Climate Registry.

Earth Hour search is on for urban climate champion

The Earth Hour City Challenge rewards pioneering cities that are leading the way towards a low carbon economy.

Cities in Canada, India, Italy and Sweden are invited this year to submit inspiring and credible plans for low-carbon development and for dramatically increasing the use of sustainable, efficient and renewable energy solutions for review by an international jury.

“The Earth Hour City Challenge gives both cities at the forefront of climate action, and cities keen to kickstart their activities, a new impetus to develop their sustainability efforts" said Wolfgang Teubner, Managing Director of the ICLEI European Secretariat.  Teubner represented ICLEI at the press conference launching the City Challenge held 23 March.

Cities will submit relevant data and plans via carbonn® Cities Climate Registry (cCCR), an internationally recognized carbon reporting platform for local authorities, managed by ICLEI. Outreach and support to cities will be provided in collaboration with ICLEI.

Sweden’s third largest city and ICLEI Member Malmö took top honours in the Earth Hour City Challenge pilot last year. Malmö was identified as an inspiring example of how a city can demonstrate low-carbon urban development. Malmö has achieved this through consistent and long-term planning, a comprehensive approach to energy, construction, transportation and densification and by promoting enabling environments for innovation and sustainable lifestyles.

“In contrast to failed global climate negotiations, many cities can demonstrate concrete progress in transitioning towards a low-carbon future. Malmö is one of these cities, and aims to assume the role of a global green leader”, says Ilmar Reepalu, Mayor of Malmö. “But our work is not quite finished yet. Our goal is for Malmö to be powered by 100 per cent renewable energy by the year 2030.”

Malmö will now challenge cities in selected pilot countries for the title in 2013.

Once reporting closes on November 19, the international jury will select five national champions and one Global Earth Hour Capital of the year to be announced in March 2013.

For more information, read the Earth Hour City Challenge press release (also available in Swedish) or visit www.earthhour.org/citychallenge